In the late 1980s marine and coastal areas along the West Coast of Saint Lucia were under increasing pressure from competing human activities. In fact, before the Soufriere Marine Management Area (SMMA) was established , fishers often found themselves in conflict with other users. Yachtsmen and fishers competed for the use of marine space for both anchoring and seining activities, and divers were often accused of deliberately damaging fish pots found during dive expeditions. Tourism vessels further compounded the issue by interrupting fishing and damaging fishing gear by passing too close to the fishing grounds or directly in the path of deployed fishing gear.

Due to the need for conflict resolution and the unsuccessful management of existing Marine Reserves along the West Coast, Marine Management Areas were deemed necessary by the Department of Fisheries for (1) the conservation and protection of marine resources and the scenic beauty of the coastal and marine environment of that area, (2) the protection of the livelihoods and rights of fishermen under threat by competing interests (3) to reduce user conflicts that had become a major problem.

To manage these issues, fishers, hoteliers, divers, yacht operators, government agencies, and community groups came together and through consultations and subsequent Cabinet Conclusions No. 1671 of 1995 and 518 of 1998 the Soufriere Marine Management Area (SMMA) and Canaries Anse la Raye Marine Management Area (CAMMA) were established.

SMMA was established as a semi-autonomous, self-financing institution by Cabinet Conclusion No. 1671 to manage the two Marine Management Areas (MMAs). In 2000, the SMMA was established as a body corporate, the Soufriere Marine Management Association, Inc.

Due to the significance of the West Coast to Saint Lucia's tourism product and destination experience and its contribution to GDP, the designation of the SMMA/CAMMA has been very beneficial at both the local community level and for Saint Lucia in general.